Test samples are negative for coliform

January 12, 2016

After coordination with the State Division of Drinking Water, the City of Sacramento has lifted the voluntary boil water advisory issued for the Pocket area, west of I-5. Customers were notified on January 10, 2016 of the presence of bacteria in the drinking water and were advised to boil their water for cooking and drinking purposes as a precaution. We are pleased to report that the water sampling test results received yesterday and today are negative for coliform.

“I am pleased that the test came back negative and the State authorized the lifting of the boil water advisory. The Division of Drinking Water Safety agrees with the City that our water supply is safe. I want to encourage my fellow Pocket/Greenhaven neighbors to enjoy a cold glass of water!” stated Vice Mayor Richard Jennings, II.

The City will continue normal weekly sampling at about 60 sites throughout the City water system. We will also continue to investigate the source of the bacteria that was in the system, and in the meantime, the City will be increasing the frequency of samples in the Pocket Area from one to at least three a week.

The advisory was issued due to presence of bacteria during a routine weekly water sampling in the Pocket area. We are not aware of any health issues. The City is advising customers to use boiled tap water for drinking and cooking purposes as a safety precaution.

Bring all water to a boil, let it boil for one (1) minute, and let it cool before using. Boiled water should be used for drinking and food preparation until further notice. Boiling kills bacteria and other organisms in the water.

The advisory is a precautionary measure and recommends that residents in the affected area voluntarily boil their water for at least one minute before consuming it until the advisory is lifted. The advisory pertains only to water used for consumption. Again the advisory is only a precautionary measure. This is a boil advisory, not a boil order.